Book Review: Could It Be You? by Katie Kirby

Summary: 
Six months ago Rachel Kane was married and trying for a baby.

But then her world came crashing down when she found out her husband was leaving her for another woman.

Suddenly she found herself nearing thirty and living back home with her parents. No relationship, no space of her own, and struggling to make ends meet.

The soap she makes and sells through market stores gets great feedback, but she is finding to turn it into a proper business, and she is beginning to wonder if she will ever catch her big break.

When she finds out two of her best friends are getting married in the South of France she can’t wait for a relaxing break.

But will it be relaxing, or will it bring up a host of unwanted emotions?

Will she find it hard to be happy for her friends, when her own love life has fallen apart?

To make it worse she finds divorce papers waiting on her doormat the day before she is due to leave.

She knows she should hate Doug for what he did to her, but suddenly it all seems too final.

Feeling emotionally fragile, Rachel is determined to plaster a smile on her face and make the most of her time away.

She is especially excited to catch up with Nick – they were always best friends until she got married and her husband grew jealous of their relationship, and now it is time to get things back on track.

Things perk up when she finds herself next to an attractive man – Tom - on the plane. Not only that, but he is really interested in her products.

And – even better – he is also a guest at the wedding.

Rachel could be on the brink of her first big sale.

But could her meeting with Tom lead to more than just business?

Will she manage to re-connect with all her best friends?

Or will the wedding prove to be all too much for her…?

‘Could It Be You?’ is a fun, holiday read about new starts, best friends and learning to love again. 



Release Date: July 1, 2015
Age Group: Adult
Source: Review copy from author
Reviewed By: Kelli


Review:

Could It Be You? was a really fun and light read.  I enjoyed this book so much.  Books like this one are why I keep coming back to contemporary fiction: they are just fun to read.  I don't have to work to remember the "rules" of a fantasy world, or remember the characters and plot points from previous books in a series.  I can just read the stand-alone novel and enjoy it for what it is: a fun escape from every day life.  And Could It Be You? embodied all of those things, and more.

I liked Rachel, the main character, right from the start.  It was so easy to connect with her, and especially to feel for her situation.  She's recently separated from her husband, and trying to grow her soap-making business.  Rachel has a spunky attitude and I could tell right away that while she was having a hard time, she wasn't going to stay down for long.  

Could It Be You? spans only a few weeks in time, but Kirby manages to fit a lot of action and character growth in during a short time period.  I loved that so much happened for Rachel throughout the story.  I liked that the story is written from Rachel's perspective because it made me even more invested in her happy ending.

There were lots of small details that made this book great.  The minor characters were very well-written and interesting.  I especially liked Rachel's parents.  Their scenes made me smile and even laugh out loud.  Rachel's group of friends was supportive and realistic.  I was glad that she had them to lean on and I enjoyed getting to know them.  I also really enjoyed the element of Rachel's business.  Soap-making seems simple enough, but the way Rachel is focused on growing her business and everything that entailed was interesting. 

The love story was just right for the tone of the book: it was not the emphasis of the story but it was a welcome addition.  I really enjoyed Could It Be You? and I would most definitely read Katie Kirby's work again.